Princess Mononoke- A Link Between Worlds
by BlackSabbath4Ever
Summary: Ashitaka and San now have a daughter and have created an adequate way to raise her in both of their lifestyles and cultures. However, while the three are in Irontown, something malevolent descends on the town and envelops it in a thick fog. As spiteful forces begin to torment the townspeople, Ashitaka, San, and their child must discover what is causing them to enter the world.
1. Prologue

**Alright, I've got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that I'm back, continuing on the Princess Mononoke story arc I began sometime around Wrestlemania/April. The bad news is that it's going to take me a bit longer to write and update this story because of school and a personal project. Doesn't mean I'm going to stop, though it will take me a few more days to update than usual. Like my last story, it is helpful if you read the previous one. Still, should make some sense if you haven't.**

* * *

Ashitaka threw his arm over his eyes to shield them from the rays of light that shone through the gaps of his window screen. It was always like this during summer; the sun would arise during the early hours of the morning and shine brightly until late at night. Ashitaka found it to be more pleasurable than winter, when the sun would be constantly blocked by dark clouds of rain and snow, but it was still annoying. At least during winter he could light a torch to see in the darkness and wear extra clothing to fight the cold. But during the summer, he was at the mercy of the humidity, the heat, and the beaming sun. He crawled across the floor to the window and better closed the screens. As thin as they were, they did a good job of blocking out the light when they were adjusted properly.

Even though it was still early, Ashitaka decided to get ready for the day. As he was getting out of his nightclothes he remembered that today San was supposed to arrive with their daughter so the two could stay in Irontown with him for two weeks.

* * *

Three years ago, San gave birth to their daughter while Ashitaka was staying with her in the forest. It was sudden; the two were mulling around the pond when San suddenly doubled over and told him that she was feeling a great amount of pain. Once he knew what was going on, he began to help her through the ordeal. The experience was scary since he didn't know how to properly deliver a child. Seeing San's face contort in agony and hearing her piercing scream echo throughout the forest as if she was being tortured did not help either. His mind was racing with many scenarios while she was in labor, a great many of which absolutely horrified him. However, after almost an entire day of helping San deliver their child, his panic fled as he laid his eyes upon their daughter for the first time. San's face, covered in sweat and with tears rolling down her cheeks, brightened from sorrow to joy as Ashitaka handed her their child.

"Ashitaka, she's beautiful." She remarked.

"Yes, just like her mother." He said.

* * *

Months before their daughter had been born, the two decided on a way to raise their child in a manner that would reflect both of their lifestyles. For the first two weeks, Ashitaka and San would raise her together in the forest. Ashitaka would then return to Irontown while San raised the child in the forest for another two weeks. After that time had passed, San would come to Irontown with their child and the three would live there. After another two weeks, San would return to the forest while Ashitaka took care of their child in Irontown. Ashitaka wished that he and San were able to live together more often, but his duties in Irontown and her lingering disdain for humans made it too difficult for them to do so. Still, it worked out well enough for them and their daughter was happy.

Ashitaka knew that San would be here soon. She always woke up early and it seemed that their daughter inherited that trait as well. He finished dressing and went into the main room to see what he could make for breakfast. Just as he pulled a bottle of preserved berries off of a shelf, he heard a knock on his door. He immediately set the bottle down on the table in the center of the room and opened the door. As soon as Ashitaka opened the door, his daughter ran into the house and hugged him, reaching up to wrap her tiny hands around his waist.

"Hi, daddy!" She greeted as she pressed the side of her face against his leg.

"Hello, Kaya," He said as she ruffled her soft brown hair. He and San had named her Kaya Moro Mononoke, combining the names of his sister, San's wolf mother, and the name given to San by the residents of Irontown. "Hello, San."

San entered the house and kicked the door closed behind her. "Hello, Ashitaka." She greeted as she wrapped her arms around him while he put his free arm around her. Her hair had grown longer and was kept in a braided ponytail. The tattoos on her face, currently hidden by her clay half-mask, were still as red as before and her physique had changed very little, though she was a bit taller and was now Just a hair shorter than Ashitaka. Ashitaka hadn't changed much either, though he grew his hair out and began to wear it in a bun similarly to when he lived with the Emishi.

"How was your stay in the forest, dear?" Ashitaka asked Kaya.

"It was fun," She replied, "Mother was teaching me how to play hide-and-seek with the animals."

For a brief moment, Ashitaka thought that she actually meant the game. Then he realized that San was teaching Kaya how to stalk prey like a wolf. "Perhaps one day she'll teach you how to play tag with them."

"She said she might next time we're in the forest. She said she wanted to ask you first."

"I'll talk to her about it." San removed her mask and headdress and placed them on the couch on the opposite side of the room. "I have some toys for you in the bottom drawer of my dresser. Why don't you go play with them?"

"Okay!"

Kaya ran off to the bedroom while Ashitaka sat next to San on the couch. "How is she when she's tracking animals?"

"She needs to continue practicing," San replied, "She makes too much noise and even speaks sometimes while we're trying to sneak up on our quarry. And if you think I'm putting her in danger, don't worry. We only stalk smaller prey such as squirrels or rabbits."

Ashitaka was relieved. "Has she ever caught any?"

"I haven't taught her how to give chase yet. I go after whatever we are following if we actually need food."

"She sounds like she enjoys it." Ashitaka remarked. He could hear Kaya playing with what sounded like a spinning top. "She's taking to both of our lifestyles very well."

San nodded in agreement. "I was thinking of teaching her how to swim once I teach her how to hunt."

"Are you sure she's old enough?"

"I was able to swim was I was her age, if not younger. She should be fine."

Ashitaka didn't protest since he was confident San knew what she was doing. San held Kaya, who she referred to by the child's middle name, very near and dear to her heart. The only other human that she gave such affection to was Ashitaka. She still seemed to hold some resent the residents of Irontown, though that didn't keep her from going out with Ashitaka into the town. When she did go out she seemed to speak less than Kaya did with the other townspeople. She seemed shy around them, which Ashitaka found funny since her wolf side was much more eccentric and quirky. He believed that it was because she never socialized with other humans until she was a young adult.

"What are these?" Kaya asked as she walked out of the bedroom holding a stack of cards.

"Those are playing cards, Kaya," Ashitaka replied, "they're used for games that adults and children play."

"Can we play a game?"

"Not right now; I need to work first. We can play afterward."

"Can I come with you?"

Ashitaka thought about bringing her for a moment. He knew that he could bring along San since she could hold onto his waist while sitting behind him, but Kaya was too small to fully reach around him and he couldn't carry her while holding Yakul's reins at the same time. Of course, he could just patrol around the farms by foot. "Sure, but I need to let Yakul out first. Do you want to come along, San?"

San nodded and stood up from the couch. She would much rather be outside the town's walls than staying indoors or walking around the town. The last time she was walking around Irontown alone, which was before she gave birth, she had a confrontation with a man who lost his son to the wolves several years ago and had too much to drink that night. It took several townspeople, including Ashitaka, who had heard the commotion, to pull her off the man when he spat in her face. After that incident, she stayed by Ashitaka's side whenever she was in Irontown.

Ashitaka went to the stables and told Yakul that he would be working on foot and let the elk out so he could exercise, run free, and wander around in the nearby forest and mountain. Whenever he let Yakul out, he usually didn't return for several days. Ashitaka was fine with this since he knew that Yakul preferred to be free and away from the stables. After Yakul vanished into the forest, Ashitaka, San, and Kaya went over to the farms to watch the area. Ashitaka knew that there wouldn't be any trouble. After Hanto had died, trouble was rare in Irontown. The most serious incident to occur after his death was a slight scare several years ago; the townspeople became alarmed when they heard a shrill noise coming from the forest. It turned out it was actually San when she was giving birth to Kaya. Ashitaka and San sometimes joked about how their daughter managed to scare the townspeople before she was even born.

* * *

Upon the advent of twilight, the three returned to Ashitaka's home. Ashitaka and San prepared dinner while Kaya went back into the bedroom to play with the toys in the dresser. As they were finishing up, Ashitaka looked outside the window to see that there were dark clouds in the sky.

"That's weird," He commented, "there aren't usually clouds like that during this season."

"Nature isn't very predictable," San pointed out, "but you're right. Even I haven't seen clouds like that before during this time of the year."

Ashitaka brushed it off, believing it was simply a bit of odd weather.

After they had finished eating, San changed Kaya into her nightclothes before she and Ashitaka changed into theirs. Inside the bedroom was a cradle for Kaya to sleep in while Ashitaka and San slept on his futon. Kaya had already fallen asleep, silently resting under her white blanket. As she and Ashitaka lay down to sleep, San remembered that the window in the main room was still open. She told him that she'd close it and went to the main room.

San began to close the window but stopped when she noticed that it was raining. "This really is abnormal weather." She said to herself. She looked outside and noticed that there was more than just rain. The mountain was completely covered by thick fog and the sky was much darker than it would normally be. As she peered outside, she noticed that there was a woman on top the rooftop of a house across the street. She thought was strange; even she knew that standing on rooftops was something humans normally didn't do. As she continued to examine the woman, she noticed something even more unusual: the woman was licking her hand. She thought that maybe the woman had drunken too much. Maybe the woman was crazy. She didn't know. She closed the window and returned to the bedroom. "It's raining outside." She told Ashitaka as she lay down next to him.

"I noticed," Ashitaka said, "I can hear the raindrops outside. It will probably clear up in the morning."

San nodded and rested her head on a soft pillow as Ashitaka laid an arm across her. She didn't think the woman outside was important but thought that perhaps Ashitaka would want to hear about her. "There's somebody on top of one of the houses across the street," She said, "some woman who I think was licking her palm."

Ashitaka was surprised but not alarmed. "Do you know who she is?"

"The only women I know in this town are the one who shot you, Toki, and Eboshi." San hesitated before saying Lady Eboshi's name. Despite learning that "that woman" was her mother, she still had trouble saying her actual name since she always called her "that woman" for many years.

"Maybe I should see who she is." Ashitaka now stood up and went over to the window. He opened it and looked outside and saw the woman San was talking about. As San mentioned, the woman was standing on a rooftop and was licking her hand. She didn't seem to be looking anywhere in particular. "Hey!" Ashitaka called, "You might to go inside!" The woman did not react and simply continued to stand and lick her hand. Ashitaka tried to call out to her one more time but still received no reaction. After a while, he gave up and closed the window. "Perhaps one of the guards will see her." He said to himself. He lay back down next to San and the two drifted off to sleep. The rain disappeared from their minds quickly and they thought nothing more of it. Still, they both wondered why that woman was standing out in the rain while licking her hand.


	2. A Cup of Rice Wine

**I just realized that this story's title is the same as the upcoming Legend of Zelda game. No wonder it sounded familiar when I was thinking up a name. I'm still keeping it.**

San awoke to find that the rain was still pouring from the night before. She thought that it was actually coming down harder than it was the night before. Since she could only judge it by sound, she wasn't entirely sure.

"Ashitaka, wake up," She whispered as she nudged him awake, "it's still raining." Ashitaka fluttered his eyes before sitting up. He could hear the sound of raindrops pelting against the roof and ground outside. They sounded like thousands of tiny drums being rapidly tapped.

As Ashitaka stood up to go outside, he heard a loud knocking on his door. "I wonder who'd be out at this time," He remarked as he went over to open the door.

The man standing at the door was wearing an orange an orange tunic and had his face covered in white cloth. He was one of the guards who normally walked along the wall. "Ashitaka," He said over the pounding rain, "Lady Eboshi just delivered an edict: all residents of Irontown are to remain within the walls until further notice."

"Why does everybody need to remain inside?"

"Apparently there was a large flood outside the walls and a few people were hurt. I think they're safe now but Lady Eboshi doesn't want anybody else going past the gate."

"Does she need any help?"

"No, she's fine. Once this rain clears up, things should be back to normal." The man turned and went to the next house. As he was leaving, Ashitaka heard him muse, "You never see this much rain during the summer."

Ashitaka shut the door and returned to the bedroom where he found San cradling Kaya in her arms. "It looks like we can't leave for a while."

"So we're going to have to stay inside all day?" San asked in annoyance.

"At least until the rain clears up."

San sighed set Kaya down as the child walked over to the dresser and took out some of the toys she was playing with yesterday. "I hate being stuck inside for so long."

Seeing San in such low spirits caused Ashitaka to think about what they could do while they waited out the storm. He knew that the townspeople would likely gather in the large building that was once the ironworks and socialize, but he knew that San didn't enjoy being around that many humans. Kaya playing with her toys and remembering what she asked him yesterday about playing cards gave him an idea.

"We can play cards," He said, "I know a few games I can teach to you and Kaya."

Ashitaka spent the next few hours teaching San and Kaya different card games. He found that San was good with memory based games. He would hold back to make things easier for Kaya, who was figuring out the games' mechanics slowly and surely. The three sat in the bedroom floor. Kaya was the only one who was not sitting cross-legged, instead either standing up or sitting on her knees while playing.

After playing for three hours, Kaya became tired and fell asleep once more. San half jokingly suggested she and Ashitaka wrestle despite knowing the house was too small for any sort of scuffle. The storm outside was still hammering the town and forest. Ashitaka and San were becoming restless inside the hut. Ashitaka began to spontaneously think of something to help pass the time: patching up San's dress (which clearly showed how long she had lived in the forest), carving something into some spare wooden planks he had brought home thinking he would use them to help rebuild several years ago, possibly go to the gathering hall when Kaya woke up. San considered the first and second idea while predictably rejecting the third. After a brief moment of deciding what to do, they chose the first idea.

* * *

Sewing the holes and tears in San's dress took the two an hour to complete. The hem of the dress was still fringed but the rest of it was in much better condition that before. Kaya woke up while they were working and began to play with a few dolls in the dresser. She pretended the dolls were soldiers and began to smash them together in a fake fight. After a little while longer San and Ashitaka decided that they would practice their hand-to-hand fighting, albeit at a much slower speed than normal. Kaya didn't seem particularly interested in what her parents were doing. San's slow kicks to Ashitaka's forearm, his pulled punches that were easily dodged, and her holds that he was able to slip out of all seemed like some sort of dance to her.

* * *

After hours of various activities to stave off boredom, Ashitaka and San began to prepare dinner for Kaya. The rain had not yet ceased and the dark skies became nearly pitch black when the night came.

While Ashitaka was stirring a pot of soup, he heard a knock at the door and went to answer it. When he opened the door, he saw a short elderly woman dressed in heavy clothing standing at the front door. She seemed completely oblivious to the the storm.

"Excuse me, ma'am, but do you want to come inside?" Ashitaka asked.

"No, but thank you," She replied with a light smile, "I just wanted to know if you had any amazake."

Amazake. Rice wine. Ashitaka knew many of the townspeople drank it but he had never tried it before. "Sorry," He said as he shook his head, "I don't keep any around the house."

The woman dipped her head and continued on the road. As she left, Ashitaka noticed that the grass around the area she was standing on had withered up and died. Ashitaka was surprised. He was sure they were fine when he last saw them. What he also found odd was the woman; he had never seen her before in Irontown and he knew many of the townspeople there. "Excuse me, miss!" He called to her. The woman momentarily paused and turned her head to Ashitaka, showing off her small smile before continuing on her path. Ashitaka looked on as she went to the next house. He couldn't hear her over the sound of the rain but he assumed she asked whoever lived there the same question. A moment later, the woman came inside the house. Ashitaka popped back into his own dwelling and closed the door. His head and upper body had been drenched by the rain.

San and Kaya were already at the table, waiting for Ashitaka. He joined after he changed into his nightclothes, seeing how he wouldn't be leaving for a while and would be going to sleep soon. San asked Ashitaka who he was talking to at the door.

"An elderly woman," He replied, "I don't know her name, though. I don't think I've seen her in Irontown before."

"Maybe she's from that other human settlement," San said as she slurped some soup, "the one on the other side of the mountains."

"Maybe." Ashitaka muttered, though he found it doubtful. The city to the west was much larger than Irontown.

Kaya finished her food quickly. She went back to the bedroom and began to play with the cards. She didn't play any of the games Ashitaka had taught her and San. She scattered them around the floor and began to shuffle them around. Ashitaka and San finished soon after their daughter did. Ashitaka cleaned the bowls while San went to change into her nightclothes and put Kaya to sleep. After he finished cleaning, Ashitaka lied down next to San and began to drift to sleep. Both hoped that the rain would pass during the night and that they would be able to go outside tomorrow, especially San, who despised being inside for too much time. Ashitaka felt that his nose was a bit runny but thought nothing of it as he fell asleep. San finally dozed off after she got on top of the blankets, feeling too warm under them due to the summer heat which didn't seem to dissipate during the night even with the heavy rain.

* * *

San awoke later at night to find Ashitaka thrashing around in his sleep. She noticed that the rain had stopped and breathed a sigh of relief that quickly dispersed when she saw her mate stirring violently. She grabbed Ashitaka's arm and stopped him from moving around.

"Ashitaka," She whispered, "are you alright?" Ashitaka simply groaned in response. She noticed that he was sweating. She doubted that it was from the heat, as it was substantially cooler than it was when they had gone to sleep. Ashitaka laid still as San placed a hand on his forehead. The instant her hand touched his head, she could feel him burning up. His face was red with fever and the breathing through his mouth was heavy. "You must be ill."

Ashitaka nodded slightly. "I feel horrible," He said exhaustively, "I've never been this sick before."

"Go back to sleep. I'll see if I can find something to help." San rolled off of the futon and went into the main room to find a cloth. She found a clean one hanging close to the pot and went into the washroom to dampen it. She dipped the white cloth into a basin of water and wrung out the excess liquid. She folded the cloth in half as she returned to the bedroom. She sat down next to Ashitaka and laid the washcloth across his forehead. The water tickled his skin as it trickled down to his pillow. She hoped that it would bring his fever down a bit. "How does your throat feel?"

"Dry, sore," Ashitaka replied in a raspy voice. He opened his eyes and massaged his temples. Doing so helped a headache that he was feeling.

"Do you want me to get you something to drink?"

"Just water."

San nodded and left to get Ashitaka a cup of water. Ashitaka looked over to the cradle that Kaya was sleeping in. He was relieved to see that she was still sleeping. As he examined her cradle, he knew that it wouldn't be long before she outgrew it and he and San would need to get her a futon to sleep on.

San returned with a red bowl **-**the one he had brought with him from his old village- filled with water. Ashitaka sat up and thanked her as he took it from her hands and drank eagerly. San had the cloth on his head as he tilted back to drink from the bowl. After he finished, he set the bowl aside and lied back down. He shut his eyes tightly and held his head in agony. San joined him under the blanket and stroked his cheek.

"How did you get sick this quickly?" San wondered, "You were fine when you went to sleep."

"I don't know," Ashitaka replied, "I woke up earlier with my throat burning, my head pounding, and my body covered in sweat. It couldn't have been the rain; I dried myself off as soon as I closed the door."

"It wasn't something you caught outside; you've been inside all day."

Ashitaka thought of what it could have been that made him ill. It wasn't the ramen they had for supper, as he and San had cooked it the way they usually did. Nothing but the rain was out of the ordinary. The only other thing that he found remotely odd was the woman who showed up at his doorstep, asking for wine during the middle of a storm. That was when he remembered what else he found strange about her. The grass around her had shriveled up despite there being plenty of water.

"How would she have anything to do with this?" Ashitaka said out loud.

"Who?"

"The old woman who was here earlier. When she left, the grass around her had died. I don't know if she could have done this but I suppose we've both seen stranger."

San nodded. She believed that it could be possible that the woman somehow cursed Ashitaka. She knew that magic wasn't an everyday matter but she believed that there were humans that could use it. "Do you know anybody who could help you?"

"No, I should probably just get some sleep."

San nodded and lied back down. She didn't fall asleep immediately; she wanted to make sure that Ashitaka actually would fall asleep instead of laying awake all night. Fortunately, Ashitaka was able to rest and fell asleep after almost half-an-hour. San hoped that he would feel better in the morning. If not, she would have to go out and find somebody to treat his illness. Another priority she set was to find the old woman Ashitaka mentioned. San didn't intend to talk to her, she just wanted to see if it was possible that this woman could have cursed Ashitaka. She rested her head on her pillow and pulled the blanket over her body. She felt troubled as she fell asleep but didn't know why. Perhaps the next day she would feel less harrowed.


	3. A Fog of Uncertainty

Ashitaka had not improved when San awoke. His skin had become pale and his fever had worsened. When she asked him how he felt, he said that his throat was burning and that he had a blinding headache. Judging by the dark spots under his eyes, last night had been a miserable time for him. "I could go out into the forest and collect some ingredients to make a tonic for you," She suggested, "I don't have much else to do."

"What about Kaya?" Ashitaka asked with a raspy voice, "I can't take care of her like this and if I tried I would probably get her sick."

"Don't worry, I'll tell her you're not feeling well. She'll know not to bother you." San went over to see if Kaya was awake. The little girl's eyes were fluttering as she looked up to her mother.

"Good morning, mother," Kaya said as a smile formed on her face.

"Good morning, Moro," San greeted, calling Kaya by her middle name as always, "Listen, mother needs to go to the forest for a while and I won't be back for a few hours. Don't bother your father while I'm gone; he is very ill."

Kaya's smile instantly turned upside down. Her expression changed from one of happiness to a look of great concern. Her eyes began to well up with tears. San hoped that Kaya wouldn't cry. She was a bundle of emotion and expressed her feelings without any barrier. "Will he be okay?"

"Yes, he just needs some rest and some medicine."

"Is that why you're going to the forest?"

San nodded. She smiled to assure her daughter that Ashitaka would be alright. "You can still talk to him but he can't play with you, okay?"

"Yes, mother."

San patted Kaya on the head and gave her a quick lick on the cheek before she left. Before she left, she changed into her normal dress. She also put on her half-mask, brushing back the headdress. Just before she left the hut, she grabbed her knife and spear. She felt that it would be a good idea to bring them along in case they were needed.

Outside, the sky was still gray and a dense fog was hanging over the mountains. San didn't like it at all; not only was the weather the opposite it what it should have been, but it was very bleak and disheartening. Still, that wasn't going to stop her. With her dagger hanging from her belt and her spear gripped firmly in her right hand, she marched to the front gate. She stopped by the stables but found that Yakul was not back. Then she remembered that Ashitaka had let him out to roam around in the forest. Even though she could easily move through the forest, it would have taken her less time to gather what she needed if she had his help.

As she was about to leave through the rising gates, she was stopped hastily by a woman carrying a basket of leaves.

"W-" The woman began before biting her bottom lip to stop herself from calling San "wolf girl", "Excuse me, San, but can you point me towards Ashitaka's house? I need to bring something to him."

"He's ill," San told her, "I'm going out to get some things to help him recover."

"Oh dear..." The woman's eyes drifted to the basket of leaves she was carrying. San recognized them as cedar leaves. "I guess that means you two were visited by an old woman?"

San was shocked and suspicious at the same time. She didn't think that any of the humans would have been outside when Ashitaka was talking with the elderly woman. "How did you know?"

"She has gone to several houses and every resident who has spoken with her has fallen ill. They all mentioned her when we asked them how they thought they could have become sick. They all mentioned an old woman asking for amazake. That's when we knew what caused them to become to ill."

"How can an old woman make a human ill?"

"Well, Jigo thinks that the woman may be a hag." San was confused. From what she had gathered, hags were annoying old women.

"And?"

"Not the normal kind of hag. Jigo thinks that she is the demonic type that curses you if you speak with her."

_Not again,_ San thought. She had hoped that there would be no more demons after Hanto had died. "I didn't know humans could become demons."

"Oh, these demons aren't like the ones you and Ashitaka have killed. These types are much more subtle and cunning. They are almost unheard of, but I guess something happened in Irontown to attract this one." The woman reached into her basket and pulled out one of the leaves. "It is said that hanging a cedar leaf over your front door will keep the hag away. If she does knock on your door, she won't curse you if you don't answer."

_Great, now they're smart,_ San sighed and looked towards the fog hanging over the mountains. Now she wondered if the weather was being caused by demons. What if that woman she saw licking her hand a few nights ago happened to be some sort of demon. Combating mindless abominations like Kumo and Hanto were hard enough. How was she supposed to fight against an enemy that was craftier than she? What kind of powers did they possess? What if they came after her?

Or Ashitaka?

Or her daughter?

San clamped her teeth down and growled lowly. Without a word or even looking to the woman, she walked out the raised gates and towards the mountains. The gates crashed behind her as she trudged towards the fog. She felt no fear as she continued along the path, scanning the area around her at all times.

* * *

Once San reached the forest, she immediately took notice of the lack of wildlife. There was not a sound in the forest; even the kodama were absent. Everything was still and darkened by the thick gray fog, which made it almost impossible for San to see more than five feet in front of her. It made her uneasy; never before had the forest seemed to dead and barren to her. She kept her spear raised with both hands as she searched for what she needed to help Ashitaka. She hoped that she would be able to find everything she needed before nightfall. For the first time in her life, she didn't want to be in the forest.

San spent the next few hours gathering various berries and roots that she knew were useful for treating illnesses such as the one that had befallen Ashitaka. They were stuffed in several leather bags on her belt. She was glad to be done. The silence of the forest was not peaceful, it was maddening and unnatural. It didn't feel like the place she had called home for more than twenty years.

* * *

As San was returning to Irontown, she stopped when she finally heard a noise. However, it was not a bird, nor the rustling of bushes, nor the sound of a squirrel running along the branches of an overhead tree. Accompanying the noise was a familiar smell: the scent of humans. The noise she heard was whispering, though it was too quiet for her to make out. She raised her spear towards the direction of the voices, holding it steady as they continued to speak.

San suddenly felt something pierce her side, causing her to cry out in pain. She remained standing and still had her spear in her right hand. With her left, she felt the wound to see what had happened. She felt the metal tip and the wooden shaft of an arrow that had been shot into her. She growled as she broke the tip and tails off before sliding the rest of the shaft out of the wound. The arrow made a small tap as it fell to the ground. San returned her attention to the whispering she had heard, only to find they were now silent.

"Come out from where you're hiding!" San shouted. Just as she yelled into the dark fog, she lost feeling in her legs. She nearly collapsed but was able to keep herself up by planting her spear into the ground and balancing on it. The sudden weakness spread throughout her body and soon she found herself on her hands and knees, unable to move even a finger.

"Uh oh," She heard a voice from behind her say. Just before she blacked out, she saw two figures approach her. Due to the fog, all she saw were their silhouettes. One was slender and average height, the other was short and plump. She didn't see what the human behind her looked like. Her vision went dark as she felt herself drop to the ground.

* * *

San's head was pounding and her stomach felt terrible as she slowly began to wake up. She felt something sticky against her side, by her guess it was a bandage. She still remembered what had happened to her but didn't know where she was. When she shot open her eyes, she was blinded by light. She had to wait for a moment so her eyes could better adjust to the brightness.

"San," She heard Ashitaka's voice call, "San, are you awake?"

Home. She was home. She groaned and opened her eyes once more. This time, she was able to see more clearly. Ashitaka was sitting next to her and Kaya was holding her right arm, trembling. San noticed that Ashitaka looked much better; his skin was back to its normal tone and he didn't seem to have any trouble breathing. "How did I get back here?" She asked as she sat up.

"Jigo brought you back," Ashitaka replied, "he said he found you in the forest. He said that you were passed out with an arrow wound near your stomach, so he carried you back."

San frowned. Of all the humans she had come to tolerate, that human was the one she still had a truly burning hatred for. He was the one who she blamed most for the destruction of the forest after she learned that it was his rifles that killed her mother, Nago, and the Forest Spirit. She couldn't figure out why Ashitaka would bother with that short, little...

San thought back to the two humans she saw in the forest, particularly the short rotund man. Although she had not seen the man in a long time, she remembered how he looked like. Thinking back, the outline of one of the men she encountered did seem familiar. "I thought that he was imprisoned."

"He was, but Jigo is the only one who has any knowledge on demons. You see, other townspeople became sick and they were all visited by the same woman who came here asking for rice wine. Lady Eboshi promised him freedom if he helped to solve the problem."

"A woman told me about that earlier. Do you know where that man went?"

"Jigo?" San nodded in affirmation. "He went into the forests in the early in the morning to search for any clues. He said that he found you unconscious on the path."

"Ashitaka, I was shot by somebody."

"I know. Jigo had one of his men place a bandage on you. While you were resting, I tried to make that tonic you mentioned. I think it worked."

"I can tell, but that's not the point. When I felt the arrow go through me, I'm sure I saw that man and one of his minions. I think he had a third man with him because neither he or the man with him could have shot it. Also, I passed out on the path, I wasn't hit on the head with a club. The arrow must have been poisoned."

Ashitaka was taken aback. "Jigo wouldn't attack you San, not on purpose."

"Are you sure? Out of all of the humans I've had the displeasure of meeting, he is the worst."

"San, if it makes you feel any better, I'll talk to him once he gets back from the forest."

San nodded. She took Kaya and wrapped her in her arms. The little girl had been crying earlier out of worry for her mother. San sighed as she rustled Kaya's hair. "What about our daughter? What if this demon comes after her?"

Ashitaka tried to hide his unsureness but gulped. "Then we do our best to protect her."

San looked down at Kaya with eyes that revealed worry. "At least there's only one demon."

She was lying to herself. She felt that there was more than one demon, two at least when she recalled the woman on the roof. Both she and Ashitaka hoped that the monsters would simply leave after some time had passed. If they didn't, then they would do the only thing they could: protect their daughter from harm.


	4. The Things That Go Bump In The Night

** Just a heads up, after this chapter is posted, I won't be posting again until around December because I have several projects going on at the moment.**

* * *

Ashitaka sat on a bench nearby Lady Eboshi's house as he awaited Jigo's return. He was hoping that San was wrong about Jigo, that she either mistook him with whoever it was she saw or that it was a major misunderstanding. Still, Jigo was not a predictable man. He could have attacked San as revenge for her and Ashitaka stopping him from taking the Forest Spirit's head back to the Emperor. He wasn't sure if the monk was even going to return. He was sure that Lady Eboshi would have only released Jigo if he was truly needed and trusted her judgment. He was the only one in Irontown who knew a great deal about demons, spirits, and other unworldly beings. Seeing as to how he approached these beings with confidence, he was the best choice for discovering what was happening around Irontown.

After nearly two hours of waiting, Ashitaka caught a glimpse of Jigo going to a noodle shop. Accompanying him were two of his hunters, one slim and one of a slightly heavier build. As far as Ashitaka knew, they were the only hunters left in the town; the rest were either dead or had left and gone somewhere else. The two who remained now worked as guards.

Ashitaka approached the three as Jigo sat down and ordered his meal. The two hunters saw Ashitaka and walked away.

"Hey, where are you going?" Jigo asked as they left. He felt somebody tap him on the shoulder and turned to see Ashitaka, who did not seem pleased. Jigo studied the young man for a short while and guessed why. "That girl of yours told you that I had something to do with that gash on her side, didn't she?"

Ashitaka nodded. "She said that she saw you and her hunters before one of you shot her."

Jigo sighed and said, "Well, she isn't lying. I'll admit that it was one of my hunters who fired, but I didn't give the command. The boy who shot her did so by impulse. You see, we were out there searching for any demons, like the one that made you and about ten others sick. There are many types of things we could run into: Onryō, ikiryō, hihi... there are far too many of these creatures for me to list and they all have a different power. For example, I saw a woman sitting on a rooftop licking her hand while it was raining. That spirit actually has a name; she's called Ameonna and she brings rain. She isn't particularly malevolent and is sometimes relied upon to bring rain to crops. Still, I don't think anybody in this town called for her because when I asked if anybody knew her name, not one person said 'yes'. I believe that what makes this area such a hotbed for spirits and demons is because of the amount of fighting that as gone on here."

"If all of the violence is what has caused spirits to arrive here, are they common in other places?"

"Far from it; I'm willing to bet that the fact several forest gods have died around here is one reason they're so attracted to Irontown, which is some bad hindsight in my part... then again, I was sure I would be sitting on a hill of gold at this point. Anyway, some spirits come back after dying in battle and seek vengeance for their death. Do you know what that means?"

Ashitaka thought for a moment before replying, "That those who died in the struggle between Irontown and the forest could come back?"

"Yes, but they wouldn't be themselves. They'd be much more malevolent and wouldn't give a damn about who or what killed them. What makes it worse is that they don't always appear human; some appear as hands, small balls of fire, and I even know of a type of demon that disguises itself as a wall! On occasion, they have unworldly physical forms; think blue skin with horns."

"What exactly would they want with Irontown?"  
Jigo slurped some noodles and shrugged his shoulders. "Beats me. Demons and spirits aren't exactly mindless, but they don't seem to have much variety in what they do. They're like animals, except animals barely think when they are looking for prey. Spirits often wait, sometimes for months, before they act. They're a pain to get rid of too, some more than others. Some traders I met up north are experts in dealing with demons, just not the type we know of."

"What kind of demons do they deal with, then?"

"I don't know. They're from some far away land. They're the ones who introduced us to gunpowder, so I'm willing to bet they know what they're talking about. Anyway, they won't be of much help but I just wanted to show you how many types of monsters there are. While me and my friends were up there, we were on our toes the entire time. Those two are skittish, so whenever we heard even the slightest sound, they would turn and notch their arrows. When we ran into that crazy girl, our first thought was that she was a demon since we were told that nobody was supposed to leave Irontown. The fog out there was thick, so the only thing we saw was that pelt of hers."

Jigo sighed and ate some more of his soup before continuing, "When you were off looking for that wolf a few years ago, what did you feel? Were you shaking? Scared? Paranoid? I'll be honest with you, boy, I was none of those things when I was in that fog." Jigo had a big grin on his face that made Ashitaka feel like the monk wasn't being truthful. "My friends, however, are not me and scare like rabbits. So do you see why we, or rather they, mistook her for a demon?"

Ashitaka understood and nodded. Still, he felt like Jigo was more at fault than the two hunters. He bowed his head and returned home to San and Kaya. While he was walking back, he noticed that there were fewer people outside than there usually was. He attributed this to Lady Eboshi's decree which prohibited people from exiting town for the time being. He wondered how San got around the decree. One thought was that she sneaked out of Irontown. Another, and the one he thought most plausible, was that she didn't view herself as one of Irontown's residents and simply left. In truth, even he didn't see her as one of the townspeople. In essence she was an outsider but that didn't mean he didn't love her.

When he came home, Ashitaka saw San doing stretches while Kaya was playing with the toys that mesmerized her so.

"Are you sure you're not going to aggravate that lesion on your side?" He asked as he closed the door.

"I've had worse and still managed more strenuous activity," San remarked as she stretched one of her arms. Ashitaka noticed that they still had scars on them from they fought Hanto. Much like the mark Nago left on his arm, the scars never completely faded. "Did you talk to that human yet?"

Ashitaka nodded, "He told me that he didn't know that you were there and his hunters mistook you for a demon. They were searching for the demon that caused people in Irontown to become sick along with whatever spirits they could find."

"What other spirits could be around here?"

"Jigo told me that there are many possibilities. For one, he said that the woman you and I saw licking her hand during the storm was a spirit who brings rain. According to him, there are many varieties of spirits and demons and they all have a different ability. From what he gathered, the reason they're coming to Irontown is because they're attracted by the death and destruction, particularly the deaths of the forest gods."

"So you're telling me that somewhere in the forest or beyond is a host of spirits that are making a pilgrimage to this place? Why would they even come here?"

"I don't know what they would do here. Jigo said that they act somewhat upon instinct, or at least, that's what I gathered from him."

"What kind of demons did he mention?"

"He mentioned a few who I've never heard of before. He also said that some don't appear as humans do. He said they look like hands, balls of fire, and one looks like a wall. You can ask him-"

"No."

* * *

Kaya had already fallen asleep while San and Ashitaka lay awake. They felt tired but were unable to sleep for very long before waking up. They were listening to hear anything outside. Ashitaka wondered if it was going to rain. San was listening for anything outside the hut, particularly any of the demons or spirits that Ashitaka had mentioned. On occasion, her eyes drifted to the wall; she wished he had never brought up the ways a spirit could appear.

After what felt like several hours, the two heard some sort of commotion outside. It sounded like a scuffle but it was distant. San immediately hopped to her feet and rushed outside. Ashitaka followed after her to see what was going on.

Irontown was well lit at night by many paper lanterns hanging outside peoples' homes. Ashitaka and San were able to quickly find what was causing all of the noise. They saw Jigo fighting against a black haired man in white clothing. Ashitaka almost called for them to stop until he noticed two things about the man Jigo was battling against. For one, the man's hands were dangling at his wrists and did little more than flop when the man in white dodged one of the attacks Jigo was making with a spear. What stood out the most was a pair of orbs floating around the man in white. The orbs appeared to be made of fire and were colored green. Jigo noticed Ashitaka and San as he quickly stumbled away from a flail the man in white threw.

"Don't bother trying to help!" He shouted, "You wouldn't be able to harm this thing!"

Just then, the man in white paused and turned to face Ashitaka and San. He didn't turn his whole body; he rotated his head and neck, creating a cracking sound that sent a chill down Ashitaka and San's spine. The man's face was pale and covered in blood. The mouth seemed torn at the edges and revealed rows of sharp teeth as he grinned. Ashitaka took a step back and San gasped in horror. They knew that the thing was one of the demons Jigo had mentioned.

The monk took this opportunity to the spear he was carrying through the spirit. The pale faced monster's eyes went wide as it looked down to see the metal head of Jigo's spear poking out through its chest. The two will-o-wisps accompanying the demon began to faze away. The spirit itself began to blow away, its form tearing itself apart like paper. Soon, nothing of the monster remained. Jigo wiped the sweat off his forehead and stood before Ashitaka and San proudly.

"Well, I would say that ended well," He remarked, "I did what you two did to kill that wolf god and put water from that magic pond on my weapon. Didn't think it would strike the spirit at first but I'm thankful I'm wrong."

"What was that thing?" Ashitaka asked, looking towards the direction the shreds of the spirit had drifted off to.

"Basic spirit of a dead man, often called yurei or reikon where I come from. However, this one appeared to be a gaki or jikininki, a type of spirit that was greedy in life and is cursed in death with a craving for the flesh of human corpses... and feces."

Ashitaka was disgusted at both cravings. "Do they kill people?"

"I've never heard of a gaki killing anybody, they just take the meat off of already dead corpses. I can't say he'll stay gone but here's to hoping. Anyway, you two get back to whatever it is keeping you up at this hour."

Ashitaka nodded and bowed. San didn't say or do anything and followed Ashitaka back home.

"That thing was more horrifying than I imagined it would be." Ashitaka said.

"If there are more demons like it, there are probably ones that look even more terrifying." San commented.

"Well, they may look hideous but at least they don't harm people."

"That human said that the spirit he struck down didn't kill humans. He never said anything about the other types."

Ashitaka nodded and gulped. He had no idea what else they would encounter around Irontown. He also wondered why Jigo was fighting the spirit if it was supposedly harmless.


End file.
